Stolen Goods Recovered
Last Friday night thieves broke into Young and Wolf's slaughter house,
and took five beef hides. The next day a man driving a horse hitched to
a platform spring wagon, in which were these stolen hides came to
Furnessville, and represented that he had found the rig in the road a
short distance from that place. T. J. Johnson happening along, saw the
fellow, and advised him to come to Chesterton, as the hides belonged
there. Dick brought the rig with the man to this place, and Mr. Young
identified the hides. The fellow in whose possession the stolen
property was found was turned over to the tender mercies of Squire
Gondering, and given a preliminary examination, which resulted in his
being bound over to the circuit court. He gave his name as Kimball, and
his story was as follows. He came to Furnessville from Michigan City
last Friday, started from that town at midnight. He slept in a barn
near Furnessville, and the next morning coming down the road, found the
rig. Getting in he drove it to Furnessville, and then here. That is
his story.
It transpires that this fellow was released from the Michigan City
penitentiary about a month ago, and for disorderly conduct served nine
days on the chain gang in Laporte. For attempting to rob a man in
Michigan City, he was compelled to skip to escape the marshall.
The stolen horse is a dapple grey, about six years old, heavy set, and
well proportioned.
The buggy is a large platform spring, and is in good repair. The rig
was turned over to Mr. Williams, the livery man, to await the owner.
To corroborate Kimball's statement, here is an article which appears in
the Dispatch of Saturday's issue:
Ernest Kimball, the ex-Michigan convict, who was recently sent to the
county jail on a short sentence for disorderly conduct, was released
yesterday and returned to this city. In the evening he was seen
marching a stranger up street ostensibly to find a boarding house, but
probably for the purpose of robbery. Marshal Gallan soon espied Kimball
and started to lock him up on general principles. Kimball walked along
peaceably until the door of the jail was reached. Here he stopped and
pulled out seventeen cents, representing that he had plenty of money to
purchase lodgings with. While parleying here policeman Nick Gasper was
seen approaching. Kimball did not want to be locked, so when the
marshal attempted to open the jail door the crook made a dive around the
corner and across the public square, with both officers after him. He
was fleet of foot though, and even three shots failed to bring him down.
Parties afterwards saw him leaving town. - Michigan City Dispatch
On last Tuesday, Mr. Chickey Miller handed the following letter to T. J.
Johnson, relating to the affair.
Prosecuting Att.
Porter Co.
Ind.
Dear Sir. I see you have a man arrested who has assumed my name for
stealing. He was in Michigan City until 11:30 o'clock on the night in
question and was shot at by the police. Better look out for parties who
may claim a horse and wagon. He can surely prove an alibi.
Respectfully yours,
Ernest Kimball
What is meant we leave to the public to judge. Up to this writing no
one has claimed the rig, and absolutely nothing tending to solve the
mystery has been discovered. The man in whose possession the property
was found alone knows how he come by the rig. The animal when brought
here was completely tired out and gave evidence of being driven at least
50 or 75 miles, for it was not rested for three days after it was put in
William's barn. Where did the rig come from, and who stole the hides and
where is the man, if Kimball is innocent?
Last Sunday afternoon an individual with three horses came to Chesterton
and attempted to ship them by rail to Chicago. When he found he could
not get the animals out of town in that way before the following day, he
then wanted to hire some one to ride them to Chicago. Failing, he then
led them out of town. He told so many contradictory stories that many
thought him a horse thief. He claimed to have bought one animal, a
grey horse, in Laporte, traded a buckskin pony for a large bay horse,
blind in both eyes, to a farmer living about eight miles from here, and
bought the other animal, a bay horse. All of this was done on Sunday.
Then he said that coming through Jackson Center he met two men from
South Bend who were hunting a stolen rig which answered to the
description of the one here. Parties from Jackson county say that this
is false, that the man himself was enquiring of farmers there of the
rig. While here he put down a description of the stolen property.
Enquiring the way to Chicago, he started off, but instead of taking that
road he went towards Valparaiso.
The June Dividend
The county Auditor has made out the amount of the June dividend for
1885, including the congressional interest, liquor license, common
school aged, the state school by township, as follows:
Valparaiso $3, 991.30
Center 669.11
Union 579.18
Washington 486.32
Jackson 436.26
Liberty 397.43
Portage 488.00
Westchester 1,389.91
Pleasant 519.80
Porter 545.80
Boone 803.27
Morgan 528.25
Pine 315.27
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Total: $14,239.10
The county treasurer will commence the payment of these funds to the
township trustees at once.
The Number of School Children
The number of school children over 6 and under 21 years of age in Porter
county, by townships, is as follows:
Valparaiso 2,380
Center 399
Union 405
Washington 290
Jackson 204
Liberty 237
Portage 291
Westchester 799
Pleasant 310
Porter 345
Boone 479
Morgan 345
Pine 188
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Total 6,702